Ledger handrest for bookkeepers



J1me 1965 J. R. CREEL 3,190,267

LEDGER HANDREST FOR BOOKKEEPERS Filed Jan. 16, 1964 INVENTOR Jack R.Creel FIG.5. BY jmemg United States Patent 3,190,267 LEDGER HANDREST FOR BOOKKEEPERS Jack R. Creel, 2109 Pullman Circle, Pensacola, Fla.

' Filed Jan. 16, 1964, Ser. No. 338,162

18 Claims. (Cl. 120-54) This invention is a novel ledger handrest for bookkeepers. It has been found in practice that the bottom three inches of a ledger is difficult for the bookkeeper to write upon due to lack of proper support for the writers hand.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a handrest for such ledgers which may be attached to the bottom of the ledger, when opened, to support the hand of the bookkeeper while posting items in the ledger and for giving firm hand support when writing on the bottom portions of the pages of the opened ledger.

Another object of the invention is to provide a ledger handrest of the above type having inner parallel arms, adapted to embrace the backbone of the opened ledger, which will yieldably adjust themselves to the backbone of the opened ledger according to the thickness of the backbone, the handrest having yieldable means connecting said inner arms to permit such adjustment and for contacting the inner parallel arms of the handrest into firm contact with the backbone of the opened ledger, the

ledger engaging portions of the inner arms having holes or recesses therein for receiving the usual binder posts of the ledger and to thereby assist in holding the handrest i-firmly to the ledger backbone.

-Another object of the invention is to provide a ledger handrest of the above type in which the wings which are disposed below the open pages of the ledger will slant downwardly to conform with the general slope of the pages of the opened ledger, the parts being so arranged that no portions of the handrest will interfere with the turning of the sheets of the ledger, but the handrest will properly support the hand of the bookkeeper even when a larger number of sheets have been turned to one side of the opened ledger.

I will explain the invention with reference to the accompanying drawing, which illustrates one practical em- ;bodiment thereof, to enable others to adopt and use the same, and will summarize in the claims the novel fea- .tures of construction, and novel combination of parts, for

which protection is desired.

In said drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of my novel ledger handrest for bookkeepers applied in working position to an .opened ledger, showing the tops of the armrest sides disposed somewhat below the opened sheets.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the handrest showing same applied to the backbone of an opened ledger, the ledger being indicated by dot-and-dash lines.

FIG. 3 is a transverse section on the line 33, FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a front elevation of the handrest in opened operating position, detached from the ledger.

FIG. 5 is an end view of the handrest shown in FIG. 4, but indicating the same applied under the covers of the opened ledger, the ledger being indicated by dot-and-dash lines.

As shown in the drawing, my novel ledger handrest for bookkeepers is adapted to be used in association with an' open ledger having covers A and sheets or leaves B, the backs A being flexible adjacent the backbones A of the ledger, and the inner edges of the sheets B being compressed between the backbones A by binder posts C in the usual manner which are usually in the form of screws having nuts A2 on their outer ends which when tightened compress the backbone portions A and the inner edges of the sheets firmly together. When the ledger is opened the covers A and sheets B will normally assume the posi- Patented June 22, 1965 tion shown in FIG. 1, while the backbones A are disposed substantially normal to the opened covers A, the overall thickness of the backbone varying with the number of sheets in the ledger, and the backbones A assuming the position indicated in FIG. 2.

My novel ledger handrest comprises a pair of hand supports 1, each adapted to be disposed below their related pair of exposed pages B of the opened ledger as shown in FIG. 1, the supports 1 being formed of separate strips of wood, plastic or the like, having their inner ends spaced from each other in way of the backbone of the ledger.

Hand supports 1 are supported at their inner ends by parallel bars 2 disposed normal to the hand supports, same being of sufficient length to extend under the opened covers A and to lie parallel with and contacting their related backbone portions A of the ledger, as shown in .FIG. 2, the bars 2 being secured to the hand supports 1 by means of hinges 3 as shown more particularly in FIG. 4, which hinges permit the hand supports 1 to conform generally with the slope of the pages B of the open book, and further permit the ledger handrest to-be folded into a relatively compact package when not in use.

In order to maintain the bars 2 in parallel relation while permitting the bars 2 to be yieldably separated to conform with various thicknesses of ledger backbones, I provide telescoping tubes 4 as shown in FIG. 2 connecting the bars 2 opposite the ends of the hand supports 1, the ends of the telescoping tubes 4 being anchored respectively in the bars 2, whereby the hand supports 1 are prevented from relative rotation with respect to each other, but are permitted to separate to suit difierent overall thicknesses of ledger backbones A.

In order to yieldably contract the parallel bars 2 into contact with the backbones A, springs 5 are provided adjacent the telescoping tubes 4 as shown in FIG. 2, the springs being of sufficient strength to draw the bars 2 into firm contact with the backbones A of the cover, as shown in FIG. 2, suitable recesses 2a being provided in the inner walls of one or both of the bars 2 in contact with the backbones A to receive the nuts A2 of the ledger binder posts C before mentioned. In this manner the engagement of the nuts A2 in the recesses 2a further permit the parallel bars 2 of the handrest to have a close contact with the backbones A of the ledger and prevent the bars 2 from pivoting with respect to the backbones A.

The space between the inner ends of the handrest 1 are closed by plates 6 which are normally disposed in .overlapping relation as shown in FIG. 4, each plate 6 having its outer end anchored as at 6a in the end of its respective hand support 1, and being separable when the hand supports 1 are hinged from the normal position shown in FIG. 4 into folded position. When opened the plates 6 form a bridge between the inner ends of the hand supports 1 in way of the backbones A so as to form a continuation of the hand supports.

Parallel with the inner bars 2 are outer bars 7 which are of less height with the bars 2 so that when in use the hand supports 1 may slant downwardly from the backbones A so that the armrests will conform substantially with the slant of the open pages B of the opened ledger for convenience in posting.

In using my novel ledger handrest, the ledger would be opened as shown in FIG. 1 on a desk and the bars 2 and 7 slipped under the opened covers A, the telescoping tubes 4 permitting the inner bars 2 to separate according to the thickness of the ledger backbone A, and the springs 5 normally contracting the telescoping members 4 so that the inner bars 2 will contact and tightly clamp the sides of the backbone A, the holes 2a receiving the nuts A2 of binder posts C of the ledger. Thus the ledger handrest will be firmly supported by the ledger sufliciently to permit the bookkeeper while posting to have proper firm hand support when writing on the bottom portions of the open pages B. The hand supports 1 may have a slight curve forwardly to render the bookkeepers hand more comfortable while writing, and the hand supports 1 of the handrest will slant down to more or less conform with the slant of the pages of the opened ledger. The handrest will not in any way interfere with turning the pages B of the ledger, and will support the bookkeepers hand for posting even when a relatively larger number of pages B are turned to one side of the ledger.

I do not limit my invention to the exact form shown in the drawing, for obviously changes may be made therein within the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with a ledger having a pair of covers between which a plurality of sheets are compressed by binder posts extending through the backbone of the ledger and through the sheets, said binder posts having heads on their outer ends extending beyond the backbone; a ledger handrest for use by bookkeepers or the like while posting in the ledger when opened, said handrest comprising a pair of hand supports disposed at the bottoms of their related exposed ledger sheets with their inner ends spaced apart in way'of the backbone; parallel bars connected to and extending normal to the hand supports adjacent their inner ends and disposed under the covers of the opened ledger and adapted to contact the outer faces of the backbone; means connecting the bars for permitting separation of the bars to suit varying thicknesses of backbones, and for preventing relative rotation of the bars; and means for yieldably contracting the bars into contact with the backbone.

2. In a combination as set forth in claim 1, said connecting means comprising a telescoping bar having its outer ends respectively anchored in the parallel bars in way of the inner ends of the hand supports.

3. In a combination as set forth in claim 1, said yieldable means comprising a spring having its ends connected to the parallel bars respectively adjacent said connecting means.

4. In a combination as set forth in claim 1, said connecting means comprising a telescoping bar having its ends respectively anchored in the parallel bars in way of the inner ends of the hand supports, and said yieldable means comprising a spring having its ends connected to the bars and disposed adjacent to said telescoping bar.

5. In a combination as set forth in claim 1, overlapping plates bridging the space between the inner ends of the hand supports, and having their outer ends anchored in their related hand supports.

6. In a combination as set forth in claim 1, the inner faces of the parallel bars having recesses therein receiving the heads of the ledger binder posts.

7. In combination with a ledger having a pair of covers between which a plurality of sheets are compressed by binder posts extending through the backbone of the ledger and through the sheets, said binder posts having heads on their outer ends extending beyond the backbone; a ledger handrest for use by bookkeepers or the like while posting in the ledger when opened, said handrest comprising a pair of hand supports disposed at the bottoms of their related exposed ledger sheets with their inner ends spaced apart in way of the backbone; inner parallel bars extending normal to the hand supports and hingedly connected to the respective hand supports adjacent their inner ends and disposed under the covers of the opened ledger and adapted to contact the outer faces of the backbone; outer parallel bars connected to and extending normal to the hand supports and adapted to underlie the covers of the opened ledger; means connecting the inner bars for permitting separation of the inner bars to suit varying thicknesses of backbones and for preventing relative rotation of the hand supports; and means for yieldably contracting the inner bars into contact with the backbone.

8. In a combination as set forth in claim 7, said connecting means comprising a plurality of telescoping bars having their outer ends respectively anchored in the parallel inner bars in way of the inner ends of the hand supports.

9. In a combination as set forth in claim 7, said yieldable means comprising a plurality of springs having their ends connected to the inner bars respectively adjacent said connecting means.

10. In a combination as set forth in claim 7, said connecting means comprising a plurality of telescoping bars having their ends respectively anchored in the parallel inner bars in way of the inner ends of the hand supports, and said yieldable means comprising a plurality of springs having their ends connected to the inner bars and disposed adjacent to said telescoping bars.

11. In a combination as set forth in claim 7, overlapping plates bridging the space between the inner ends of the hand supports, and having their outer ends anchored in their related hand supports.

12. In a combination as set forth in claim 7, the inner faces of the inner parallel bars having recesses therein receiving the heads of the ledger binder posts.

13. A ledger handrest for use by bookkeepers or the like while posting in an opened ledger, comprising a pair of substantially aligned hand supports having their inner ends spaced apart; inner parallel bars extending normal to and hingedly connected to the respective hand supports adjacent their inner ends; outer parallel bars connected to and extending normal to the hand supports; means connecting the inner bars for permitting separation of the inner bars while preventing relative rotation of the hand supports; and means for yieldably urging the inner bars toward each other.

v 14. In a handrest as set forth in claim 13, said connecting means comprising a plurality of telescoping bars having their ends respectively anchored in the parallel inner bars in way of the inner ends of the hand supports.

15. In a handrest as set forth in claim 13, said yieldable means comprising a plurality of springs having their ends connected to the inner bars respectively adjacent said connecting means.

16. In a handrest as set forth in claim 13, said connecting means comprising a plurality of telescoping bars having their ends respectively anchored in the parallel inner bars in way of the inner ends of the hand supports, and said yieldable means comprising a plurality of springs having their ends connected to the inner bars and disposed adjacent to said telescoping bars.

17. In a handrest as set forth in claim 13, overlapping plates bridging the space between the inner ends vof the hand supports, and having their outer ends anchored in their related hand supports.

18. In a handrest as set forth in claim 13, the inner faces of the inner parallel bars having recesses therein.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 176,010 4/76 Knapp -55 399,993 3/89 Hynitsch 120---55 1,590,479 6/26 ONeill 120-55 2,856,728 10/58 Guinance 248-447 JEROME SCHNALL, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A LEDGE HAVING A PAIR OF COVERS BETWEEN WHICH A PLURALITY OF SHEETS ARE COMPRESSED BY BINDER POSTS EXTENDING THROUGH THE BACKBONE OF THE LEDGE AND THROUGH THE SHEETS, SAID BINDER POSTS HAVING HEADS ON THEIR OUTER ENDS EXTENDING BEYOND THE BACKBONE; A LEDGE HANDREST FOR USE BY BOOKKEEPERS OR THE LIKE WHILE POSTING IN THE LEDGE WHEN OPENED, SAID HANDREST COMPRISING A PAIR OF HAND SUPPORTS DISPOSED AT THE BOTTOMS OF THEIR RELATED EXPOSED LEDGER SHEETS WITH THEIR INNER ENDS SPACED APART IN WAY OF THE BACKBONE; PARALLEL BARS CONNECTED TO AND EXTENDING NORMAL TO THE HAND SUPPORTS ADJACENT THEIR INNER ENDS AND ADAPTED TO CONTACT THE COVERS OF THE OPENED LEDGE AND ADAPTED TO CONTACT THE OUTER FACES OF THE BACKBONE; MEANS CONNECTING THE BARS FOR PERMITTING SEPARATION OF THE BARS TO SUIT VARYING THICKNESS OF BACKBONES, AND FOR PREVENTING RELATIVE ROTATION OF THE BARS; AND MEANS FOR YIELDABLY CONTRACTING THE BARS INTO CONTACT WITH THE BACKBONE. 